Golf tee for imparting preselected spin to a ball



Oct. 21, 1969 A. PELZMANN 3,473,812

GOLF TEE FOR IMPARTING PRESELECTED SPIN TO A BALL Filed Dec. 30, 1966 INVENTOR. ALFRED PEZZMANA/ 28 f WAQZQM EH 5 /5 United States Patent 3,473,812 GOLF TEE FOR IMlPARTING PRESELECTED SPIN TO A BALL Alfred Pelzmann, 3843 Greenwood, Skokie, Ill. 60076 Filed Dec. 30, 1966, Ser. No. 606,401 Int. Cl. A63b 57/00 US. Cl. 273-207 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An improved golf tee imparting a preselected spin to a golf ball to control driving distance and direction and to compensate for a golfers tendency to drive the ball to the right or to the left of his target. Said golf tee comprises a golf ball supporting base on a shaft, and a resilient arcuate wall extending asymmetrically upwardly and outwardly from said base. Said wall has resilient fingers to frictionally engage and irnpart to the golf ball a preselected spin as it is driven out of the tee.

This invention relates to a golf tee and methods for using the tee so that a golfer may easily and quickly select and control the direction and degree of spin to be imparted to a driven ball.

It is an object of this invention to provide a device and method by which a golfer can select appropriate flight path and rolling characteristics for his drives so as to compensate for any tendency to hit the ball to the left or to the right of the desired course.

It is another object of this invention to provide a device and method by which a golfer can select appropriate directional and distance characteristics for his drives so as to curve the ball around obstacles or to attain greater rolling distance.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification taken in conjunction with the drawings.

The effect of spin on golf drives is well known. As a golf ball spins, its dimpled surface is effective to increase the drag on the air surrounding it. This drag results in a differential in air pressure which differential causes the ball to curve in its flight in the direction of the spin. The direction of spin is defined with reference to the direction in which its forward facing surface, or nose, is rotating.

Back spin is a spin in which the nose of the ball is spinning upward, and has the effect of lifting the ball. Front spin is a spin in which the nose of the ball is moving downward and has the effect of making the ball fall faster and roll farther on the ground. Left spin is a counterclockwise rotation as viewed from above, and tends to curve the ball toward the left. Right spin is a clockwise rotation as viewed from above, and tends to curve the ball toward the right. After the ball hits the ground it will tend to roll in the direction in which it is spinning, the distance of the roll depending of course on the hardness of the ground.

Although the importance of proper ball spin is well established, and while golf tees are well known in the prior art, no golf tee has heretofore been produced which is adjustable to affect and to permit selection of spin characteristics to be imparted to the ball. It is the purpose of the present invention to solve this long-existent problem.

.Referring generally to the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of an improved golf tee;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical cross sectional view taken substantially on line 2--2 of FIGURE 1 illustrating schematically the position of a golf ball on said tee;

FIGURE 3A is a top plan view of the golf tee as it is positioned with respect to the ball to impart front spin;

3,473,812 Patented Oct. 21., 1969 ice FIGURE 3B is a top plan view of said tee as it is positioned with respect to the ball to impart left spin; an

FIGURE 3C is a top plan view of said tee as it is positioned with respect to the ball to impart right spin.

Referring more specifically to the drawing, FIGURE 1 shows a golf tee 6 comprising a substantially rigid shaft 8 adapted for insertion into the ground, and a golf ball supporting base 10 surmounting said shaft. Carried by .the base 10 is a resilient wall 14 extending asymmetrically upwardly and outwardly. Extending radially inwardly of the ball-facing surface of the resilient wall 14 are resilient fingers 18. A sleeve 20, more clearly illustrated in FIGURE 2, defines a through-opening adapted to receive the shaft 8 therethrough and to fasten the resilient wall 20 to the shaft 8 so that the base 10 and the arcuate wall 14 form a continuous flush surface. The sleeve 20, the wall 14, and the fingers 18 are molded in one piece from a resilient material such as natural rubber, synthetic rubber, or plastic, which piece is adapted to he slipped onto a conventional golf tee. Alternatively the entire golf tee may be integrally molded to form the resilient wall, fingers, shaft and base in one piece, in which case the sleeve 20 may be omitted. A golf ball 24 is placed on the tee 6 as shown in FIGURE 2 so that the fingers 18 are in substantial abutment with a portion of the outer surface of the golf ball 24 as shown in FIG- URES 3A, 3B and 3C. For optimum performance, the wall 14 extends upwardly of a line defined by the horizontal equator of the golf ball 24 as illustrated in FIG- URE 2, and encloses not more than half the total area of the golf ball 24 below that line.

The operation of the golf tee and the methods for its use are as follows:

A golf ball 24 is placed on the tee 6 the shaft 8 of Which has been inserted into the ground. The golfer ascertains whether he wishes to impart front spin, left spin, or right spin to the ball. He then ascertains the point 28 at which the club will strike the ball 24. The resilient wall 14 is then positioned with respect to point e 28 by turning the tee 6 so that the wall 14 is situated in one of three general positions illustrated in FIGURES 3A, 3B or 3C. FIGURE 3A shows the position of the wall 14 directly opposite the point of impact 28. The ball when struck pushes the resilient Wall 14 forward and out and as it moves past the fingers 1 8 is frictionally engaged so as to spin out of the tee in a forward rolling motion, thus the ball 24 is imparted with front spin.

FIGURE 3B shows the position of the resilient wall 14 as adjusted for imparting left spin to the ball 24. The wall 14 is situated forward of and generally to the left of a line drawn from the point of impact 28 toward the target. When the ball is struck it pushes aside a portion of the wall 14 and is frictionally engaged by the fingers 18 which impart to it a left spin.

FIGURE 3C shows the position of the resilient wall 14 as adjusted for imparting right spin to the ball 24. The wall 14 is suituated forward of and generally to the right of a line drawn from the point of impact 28 toward the target. When the ball is struck it pushes aside a portion of the wall 14 and is frictionally engaged by the fingers 18 which impart to it a right spin.

The resilient wall 14 must be sufficiently flexible to be pushed out of the path of the ball, yet sufficiently resilient to frictionally engage the ball 24 as it leaves the tee to impart a spin thereto and to resume its usual shape. The fingers 18 are useful in engaging the dimpled surface of the golf ball, but the fingers 18 could be omitted if the arcuate surface of wall 14 offers sufiicient friction to impart spin to the ball.

If the golfer desires to reduce the velocity of spin to be imparted to the ball, the shaft 8 can be inserted into ball is driven from the tee 6 the wall 14 will offer less resistance to the motion of the ball.

While the disclosure of this invention describes the preferred embodiments, it is apparent from its nature that various shapes and embodiments of the device may be used without departing from the essential spirit of the underlying principles of the invention. Similarly, the exact method of its use may be expected to vary, depending upon the individual characteristics and preferences of the golfer and upon wind or other environmental conditions. It is therefore intended by the following claims to include within the scope of the invention all such variations and modifications by which substantially the result of this invention may be obtained through the use of substantially the same or equivalent means.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a golf tee comprising a shaft for insertion into the ground and a golf ball supporting base;

the improvement comprising wall means defining a sleeve adapted to receive said shaft therethrough and frictionally to support said wall means upwardly and outwardly of said base;

said wall means defining an arcuate surface extending asymmetrically of said base, and further comprising fingers extending generally radially inwardly from the arcuate surface of said wall means, said fingers being in substantial abutment with the golf ball at an outer surface thereof.

2. In combination with a golf tee comprising a shaft for insertion into the ground and a golf ball supporting base;

the improvement comprising wall means defining a sleeve adapted to receive said shaft therethrough and frictionally to support said wall means upwardly and outwardly of said base;

said wall means defining an arcuate surface extending asymmetrically of said base upwardly of a line defined by a horizontal equator'of the golf ball, and further comprising fingers extending generally radially inwardly from the arcuate surface of said wall means,'said fingers being in substantial abutment with'not more than one-half the'total area of "said golf ball below said line.

3. A niethod'for imparting front spin to a driven golf ball enabling a golfer to control driving distance, said methodco'mpn'sing the following steps:

placing a golf ball on a golf tee having a golf ball supporting base and a resilient wall extending asymmetrically upwardly and outwardly of said base; positioning said wall generally opposite the intended point of impact of a golf club against the ball;

striking said point of impact with a club and dr1ving said ball out of said tee thereby frictionally engaging said ball against said wall and imparting a front spin to said ball. 4. The method set forth in claim 3 and further comprising an additional first step of tilting from the vertical said base and wall so as to select the desired degree of frictional engagement of said wall against said ball thereby adjusting the velocity of :spin to be imparted to said ball. 5. A method for imparting left spin to a driven golf ball thereby compensating for a golfers tendency to drive said golf ball to the right of his target, said method comprising the following steps:

placing a golf ball on a golf tee having a golf ball supporting base, and a resilient Wall extending asymmetrically upwardly and outwardly of said base;

positioning said wall generally forward and to the left of the center of said golf ball as viewed along a line drawn from the intended point of impact of a golf club against the ball and extending forward toward the target;

striking said point of impact with a club and driving said ball out of said tee thereby frictionally engaging said ball against said wall and imparting a left spin to said ball. 6. A method for imparting right spin to a driven golf ball thereby compensating for a golfers'tendency to drive said golf ball to the left of his target, said method comprising the f0ll0Wing steps:

placing a golf ball on a golf tee having a golf ball supporting base, and a resilient wall extending asymmetrically upwardly and outwardly of said base;

positioningisaid wall generally forward and to the right of the center of said golf ball as viewed along a line drawn from the intended point of impact of a golf club, against the ball and extending forward toward the target;

striking said point of impact with a club and driving said ball out of said tee thereby frictionally engaging said ball against said wall and imparting a right spin to said ball.

'' References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,033,269 3/1936 Williams 273-43 US. 01. X.R. 273-211 

